Martial Law 1: Patriotic Treason (52 page)

“The Captain,” I said, slowly. It had to be Captain Harriman. Who else would have wanted to create something that could be used to share information, but not overthrow the United Nations? The thought reminded me of one of my new Captains. Captain Hatchet was old, but I had no doubt that she’d make a superb commanding officer. I just hoped she’d agree to take on the Academy in a few years, wherever that ended up. We couldn’t keep training Cadets on the Moon. “Did he know…?”

“I don’t know,” the Senior Chief admitted, “but I think he would be proud of you.”

The End

Appendix One: The Treaty of Unity

Article I: This treaty marks the solemn agreement between the United Nations of Earth (hereafter referred to as the UN), the Colonies and the former United Nations Peace Force (hereafter referred to as Fleet). All three parties agree that the treaty will be binding on them in perpetuity, barring only contact with hostile non-humans.

Article II: The War between the UN and the Colonies is hereby terminated. All UN garrisons on the planets will be withdrawn under Fleet’s supervision as soon as practical. All parties agree to forfeit rights to reparations. The issue of war crimes and trials are to be settled by arbitration at a later date, but all sides acknowledge that failing to come to an agreement does not mean the resumption of the war.

Article III: The UN hereby acknowledges that its authority extends only over Earth, Luna, and those settlements in the Solar System that continue to accept UN jurisdiction. The Colonies likewise acknowledge that they possess no jurisdiction outside their own systems. The precise governing structure of the Colonies is an internal matter only.

Article IV: The UN and the Colonies agree to develop no force capable of projecting interstellar power, defined here as jump-capable military starships. They also agree to ban the development of biological weapons, or the further development of nuclear weapons designed for use against ground targets. Fleet will enforce this ban through all necessary means, up to and including punitive strikes against the offending planet.

Article V: The UN and the Colonies accept Fleet’s position as the interstellar arbiter of power and effective ruler of the Federation. They agree to make no challenges to Fleet in its area of power and providing funding, personnel and state-operated bases.

Article VI: Fleet agrees to accept responsibility for preventing interstellar war, suppressing privacy and safeguarding the flow of interstellar commence. Fleet also agrees to refrain from developing any sizable ground combat force (see appendix two) and limit the Fleet Marines to five hundred thousand combat effectives.

Article VII: Fleet agrees to recognise the internal independence of all human worlds and agrees to avoid interfering in their internal affairs, provided that they respect the Protocols governing human affairs. Fleet will not intervene in any internal affairs that do not threaten third parties, regardless of the issues involved. Fleet will maintain one garrison on all human worlds charged with recruiting for Fleet and overseeing interstellar affairs.

Article VIII: The UN and the Colonies agree to refrain from attempting to subvert or hamper Fleet in the performance of its duties.

Article IX: All human-settled planets, including Earth, agree to send representatives to Unity to draw up protocols for further interaction between human worlds. Those articles will form the basis of a Federation of inhabited worlds, providing the civil government for humanity.

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